imperative not rude?

[Guest guest]

Hi, group.

 

I recently read in the Yuddhakanda the verse where Sumantra asks Sita to

get onto the chariot, and uses a second person singular imperative, aaroha

I think. I guess it is impossible that he was being rude. So if it is

acceptable for a charioter to speak this way to a queen, what difference

is there in tone between this form and aarohatu, and I wonder if the usages

are different in different periods and genres.

 

Phillip